DoD pest managers fight natural enemies

Capt. Jack Scorby Jr., commanding officer of NAS Jacksonville, welcomed attendees. "With more than 100 tenant commands on board our station, I understand the importance of pest management - especially when our people and aircraft are deployed overseas. I also appreciate that military entomologists are evaluating and planning programs as part of Operation Unified Response, so that vector-borne disease does not become a threat in Haiti."

"The world of bugs and invasive species is important to the Department of Defense (DoD). Infectious and parasitic diseases transmitted by insects and other creatures are a constant threat to military readiness," said Capt. Stanton Cope, director, Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB), headquartered in Washington D.C.

USAF Capt. Brian Hodor (center) and Master Sgt. Steve Gonzales of the 757th Airlift Squadron provided tours of their C-130H2 equipped for aerial spraying to attendees of the DoD Pest Management Workshop, Feb. 12-18 at NAS Jacksonville. Photo by Clark Pierce

"We support mission readiness by developing preventive measures to control pests and disease vectors in ways that avert future pollution problems through the use of non-chemical or least-toxic chemical techniques," said Cope.

A 'vector' is an organism that carries and transmits parasitic disease or infection to other organisms. For example, mosquitoes are the vector for malaria, ticks are the vector for Lyme disease, and rodents and fleas are vectors for bubonic plague.

The AFPMB recommends policy, provides guidance and coordinates the exchange of information on all matters related to pest management throughout the DoD. The AFPMB mission is to ensure that environmentally sound and effective programs are present to prevent pests and disease vectors from adversely affecting DoD operations.

Candace Royal, of Valent Biosciences Corporation, tours the specially equipped USAF C-130H aircraft on the NAS Jacksonville flight line. Photo by Clark Pierce

Each day was filled with classroom sessions, demonstrations and updates.

"It's great to meet and talk shop with so many professional peers in the vector-control profession," said Lt. Cmdr. Pete Obenauer of the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 in Cairo, Egypt. "We conduct research and surveillance to support military personnel deployed to Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia. About 75 percent of our research deals with sand flies, with most of remainder going to studies of Rift Valley fever (a livestock virus that can be passed to humans) and malaria in parts of Kenya and Djibouti."

One highlight of the workshop was a large example of operational pest management - a C-130H2 Hercules aircraft outfitted for aerial spraying. DoD Entomologist Maj. Mark Breidenbaugh is a scientific technical advisor and certified applicator assigned to the USAF Reserve 757th Airlift Squadron based in Youngstown, Ohio. "We help manage insects of medical importance by deploying to an area where troops are operating with a threat of disease. Our C-130 crew is specially qualified to safely apply chemicals by flying at low levels -usually at an altitude of just 100 feet.

USAF Master Sgt. Michael Burgatt (right) of the 757th Airlift Squadron explains the spray control consoles of his C-130H2 aircraft to attendees of the DoD Triennial Pest Management Workshop held Feb. 8 - 12 at NAS Jacksonville. Photo by Clark Pierce

To train for this mission, we work domestically with federal installations. In fact, our aircraft operate from NAS Jacksonville a couple of times each year to spray for mosquitoes and biting midges (no-see-ums) on the property of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga."

He continued, "After Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, the 757th flew six weeks of anti-mosquito missions to reduce the possibility of blood borne diseases. Right now, we're on standby for Haiti disaster response."

The 757th squadron is also the DoD training center for the only EPA-approved federal aerial application pest control certification course.

NAS Jacksonville hosted one of four C-130 Hercules of the 757th Airlift Squadron that is modified to accept the modular aerial spray system for dispersal of a variety of insecticides and herbicides. Photo by Clark Pierce

Breidenbaugh added that his crew conducts operational testing of new pesticides, equipment and techniques. "We also provide consultation services concerning aerial applications to all DoD organizations for routine, emergency and contingency projects."

The 757th operates eight C-130H2 aircraft modified with 2,000-gallon tanks for aerial spraying.

In 2000, the squadron began applying a biological control agent against mosquito larvae at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, N.C. that stops production of adult mosquitoes. The unit also applies herbicide near Mountain Home AFB, Idaho to control Cheatgrass, an invasive weed originally from the Mediterranean.

Carol Oliver and Alan Huot of Wildlife Control Supplies discuss their products including collapsible nets with Army Lt. Col. Van Sherwood of the Defense Logistic Agency at Fort Belvoir, Va. during the conference. Photo by Kaylee LaRocque

Cope added, "A Bravo Zulu goes out to Cmdr. George Schoeler of Navy Entomology Center of Excellence at NAS Jacksonville (NECE Jax) for the expertise and assistance his team provided to AFPMB staff in organizing this workshop."

NECE Jax reports to Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, Portsmouth, Va. The unit has helped ensure the readiness of our military forces since 1949 by providing technical services and expert training in reducing the risk of diseases transmitted by insects and other arthropods.

NECE Jax supports the global war on terror by supplying medical entomologists and preventive medicine technicians for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. NECE Jax also participates in disaster relief operations such as Operation Unified Assistance in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia and East Timor to minimize the risk of vector-borne disease to U.S. personnel, as well as civilian populations.